Black History Author Talk

Black history is often reduced to moments of trauma, isolated heroes, or a single month of reflection. This talk challenges that framing.

MJoin author Rawi Akhbar Mpodol Ion for a conversation on history, identity, and the systems that shape collective memory.

His book Ancestral Bloodline: The Black Crown is a story of how religious institutions and language determine who controls the history.

In this author-led discussion, attendees are invited to explore history as a continuum of systems—how knowledge, power, language, economics, and identity were structured, disrupted, and inherited across generations through colonialism. Rather than asking “Who was Black?”, this conversation asks deeper questions:

Are missionary efforts in colonized lands acts of faith or acts of cultural annihilation masquerading as spiritual guidance?

How has the spread of Christianity during colonialism contributed to the geopolitical domination of Western nations, and is this dynamic still at play today?

Why were colonizers obsessed withh religion and names?

Why was the name “black” forced upon the slaves from Africa by the colonizers?

Why do African Americans call themselves black people?

Includes:
• Live reading & storytelling
• Interactive audience discussion
• Q&A with the author
• Book signing & community networking

Come prepared to listen, question, and rethink what Black history actually explains.